Many pets, mostly cats, can be trained to utilize a tray or other container filled with absorbent and frequently order-minimizing material for the disposition of their bodily wastes, both liquid and solid. The traditional arrangement utilizes a permanent tray, usually metal or plastic, that is impervious to water. The tray is filled with an appropriate, usually granular material that absorbs liquid and that may include odor reducing components. This material is most frequently referred to as "litter" and is commonly sold in relatively large sacks or other containers capable of filling the tray several times. In some instances the tray is lined with plastic film to be used to dispose of the litter when a change is required.
These traditional arrangements present some continuing problems and difficulties for the person responsible for care of the pet. Thus, regardless of the materials used in the litter, odor is frequently a substantial problem. Disposition of the used litter, when a change is necessary, is a disagreeable task. The pet, particularly a cat, may tear the plastic liner in the course of its activities preliminary to use of the litter tray, in which case some of the waste, particularly liquid waste, may collect in the tray itself and may require washing or other such action. For most litter, refilling the tray presents a substantial dust problem.
These problems and difficulties with the traditional pet litter container arrangements have led to development of a variety of temporary trays and other containers for use with pet litter. These temporary pet litter containers are usually partially disposable or include some disposition provisions such as a separate plastic film sack. These developments tend to minimize or even eliminate some of the problems associated with disposition of used litter. They do not particularly improve odor problems and frequently provide no assistance in connection with residual liquid waste collecting in the tray at the bottom of the litter. Those that have liners of plastic film or the like present the same problem as with a liner used in a permanent tray.